Joshua 3

God's Old Testament people, the Israelites, had been living in the wilderness for forty years.  Now they were about to enter the land that God had promised them many years ago.  Before they entered the new land, however, they needed to cross the Jordan River.  The Jordan River was at flood stage at this time.  Also the priests, the Levites, and the huge assembly of God's people had to cross the Jordan River.  It would take a miracle for God's people to safely cross the Jordan River, but our Lord God specializes in the impossible.  

The officers of  God's people told them in Joshua 3:3b-4a, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."  The ark of the covenant was a symbol of the Lord's presence among them. Whenever God's people would break camp the people were to keep their eyes on the ark and follow it.  Only if God's people did this would they "know which way to go," for this was new and foreign territory to them.

So we also must keep our eyes focused on the Lord, and we must follow His leading for our lives. Each day is a new day given to us by the hand of the Lord.  When we awaken in the morning we do not know what new experiences or circumstances we may face that day.  We also "have never been this way before."  Every day and moment of our lives is known and planned by the Lord, however. He knows and understands the joys and heartaches we may face today and in all the tomorrows which lie ahead. We must trust that the Lord will safely lead us each and every day, as we keep our eyes focused on Him and follow Him.  Joshua told the people in Joshua 3:5, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."  The Lord will do "amazing things" in our lives also, if we trust and follow Him.

Joshua reassured the people that day that the living God was among them by saying in Joshua 3:13, "as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord-the Lord of all the earth-set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand in a heap."  Notice the waters did not divide while God's people were still in camp or even as they were marching towards the Jordan River. Joshua 3:15b-16a says, "Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.  It piled up in a heap." When the priests stepped out into the water in faith, God's people were able to safely cross the Jordan River!

Sometimes we also face seemingly hopeless situations.  At times we may see no way out of our distressing circumstances.  At times like these we too must commit our needs and desperate situations to the Lord.  We must commit our needs to the Lord, and we must trust that He will see us through these difficult times.  We also must step out in faith.  We must trust that the Lord will see us through the seemingly impossible "Jordan Rivers" of our lives.  The Lord has our lives in His control, and we can trust and follow His leading!

Until all the people of God had crossed the Jordan River it says in Joshua 3:17a, "the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan." The ark of the covenant was a symbol of God's presence in these Old Testament times.  So we too can count on the Lord being with us in the middle of seemingly impossible situations in our lives.  The Lord is leading us through seemingly impossible situations to His victories in our lives! May we always trust Him.